Birth of the Dragon Herald
by Yoshi-G-teh-First
Summary: The Naruhodous have wished for a son for so long. One April night, their wish finally comes true! What will this son turn out to be? Ryuunosuke's early life, long before his adventures as an attorney! (Not ret-conning for any new in game info that may come along.)
1. The Beginning

What's this? A new DGS fic! Yes! :D I thought about it for a good long while, and decided to write a story solely about Ryuunosuke.

So here it is, my second Dai Gyakuten Saiban fanfic! Enjoy! c:

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~~Birth of the Dragon Herald~~

-Chapter One: The Beginning-

The year was 1876. The Naruhodous were a somewhat typical family of the Meiji Period. Patriarch Shinobu was a former instructor for kenjutsu, and was now instructing in the new style of kendo. Like many, if not all, of the men in his family, Shinobu's black hair bore prominent spikes. His in particular were two spikes on atop one another on top of his head, pointing in the same direction as his face, one more flat, the other slightly more upright, while the rest of his hair was tied back in a loose top knot. Needless to say, he had a distinct profile. Like many Japanese men of his time, Shinobu was wed in an arranged marriage to his beautiful bride, Mizuki, whom he actually loved very much.

Mizuki Naruhodou was a hard working woman and mother. Alongside her duties as a housewife, she recently obtained a job at a clothing factory to gain a little extra income. For twelve, sometimes fourteen hours each day, in less than ideal conditions, she brought heavy bolts of fabric from the shelves to her worktable, which was a good fifty feet away, to sew into various garments that would be sold for more than what she was making for sewing them, and avoiding getting pricked by pins and needles too often. Despite the circumstances, the job made Mizuki feel more independent, even while pregnant with her fifth child. Ever since she and Shinobu first wed, he encouraged her to bear him at least one son. That 'encouragement' resulted in four daughters: Junko, aged 12, Hiroko, aged 10, Tomiko, age 6, and Momoko, aged 4. And while Shinobu loved each and every one of his daughters dearly, being a father of four still did not divert his desire for a son.

"You know, Mizuki-san, they say when a pregnant mother's tummy hangs low, it means she will bear a boy!" said one of her co-workers as they went to the shelves to pick up their fabric and notions.

"One can only hope 'they' are right." Mizuki sighed as she rubbed at her bulging tummy before picking up bolts of fabric that would soon become articles of clothing. It was eight days into the reasonably warm month of April, with cherry blossom trees in full bloom, yet the factory was as unbearably hot as ever.

"Do you need help, Mizuki-san?" her co-worker asked on their way to their worktables.

"I've got it. Thank you, Nodoka-san!" Mizuki answered. With the baby due any day now, she wanted to get as much done as possible, despite offers to help her out. Mizuki's employer had no intention of giving time off after the baby was born, even if she _did_ prove herself a valuable employee.

* * *

-Later-

It was a long, twelve hour work day for Mizuki and her fellow co-workers. The sun had begun to go down as they finished the last of their daily quotas, and was almost all gone by the time they got to go home. Though, even after that, Mizuki knew the day was far from done; she still had a family to feed, and still had yet to teach her daughters _all_ the home-maker skills she knew, knowing those girls had to learn how to take care of themselves, now that both of their parents were working. As she and Nodoka began to walk home, another co-worker caught up to them.

"Mizuki-san! Mizuki-san!" she shouted as she rushed up to them.

"Oh, Akiko-san! What is it?" Mizuki inquired.

"I made this for you in between the other orders today!" Akiko explained, as she presented a blue sling-like piece of clothing, with a matching obi. "It's a baby carrier for the baby! I know you could use one, since your hands will be too full to hold them."

"It's lovely! Thank you, Akiko-san!" Mizuki chimed as she accepted the practical present.

* * *

-Later-

As the three women walked to the Naruhodou household (Nodoka wanted to make sure the expectant mother got home safely first), Mizuki felt excruciating pain in her abdomen. The kind of pain she recognized from four times before. Initially, she didn't want to believe it. Then she felt wetness between her legs. Almost like water. Water. Her water broke.

"It's...Time!" She shouted, and Nodoka and Akiko helped her into the house.

"Deep breaths, Mizuki-san!" Nodoka reminded her co-worker and friend as they reached Mizuki's room. The sudden commotion brought the attention of the eldest Naruhodou daughter.

"Is the baby coming, mother?!" she asked.

"Yes, Junko-chan!" Akiko answered on behalf of Mizuki, who could only breathe deeply and occasionally scream in pain. "Go fetch your father and sisters!"

"Right away!" With that, Junko vowed to return as quickly as she could.

* * *

-Meanwhile-

Shinobu stayed a little later than usual at the school he instructed at in order to get a student caught up.

"So it _is_ possible to wield the sword with the left hand!" His student remarked.

"Indeed it is, Kenji-kun!" Shinobu answered with a chuckle. Though he preferred the right hand himself, Shinobu had always been ambidextrous, so he knew left-handed students such as Kenji could catch on quickly. As they started on their way home, they spotted four young girls rushing up to them. It was initially hard to tell who they were with the only light source being dim streetlights.

"Father! Father!" The tallest girl frantically shouted. Shinobu instantly recognized the four right then. The streetlights confirmed as they came close enough.

"Junko, I have told you before you may not join-"

"That isn't what this is about, father!" Junko interrupted. "The baby's coming! Mother is having the baby as we speak!"

"She's WHAT?!" Shinobu shouted. "And you left her all alone?!"

"No, no! Two of her friends are with her!" Hiroko answered.

"They told us to come get you at once!" added Tomiko. A brief pause followed.

"...Momoko, don't you have anything to add?" Shinobu asked his youngest daughter.

"I would, but my feet hurt from running!" Momoko whined.

"Right, then." he sighed. "Kenji-kun?"

Kenji nodded as he picked up Momoko while Shinobu picked up Tomiko. As the six rushed back to the Naruhodou household, Junko and Hiroko both witnessed an amazing phenomenon; flying high above them was a creature, its long and bright blue body standing out against the dark blue sky. It glided in the same direction the six anxious humans were heading, calm and collected. Junko and Hiroko knew what it was right then and there.

* * *

-Later-

As they entered the house, the faint wailing of a newborn baby could be heard coming from Mizuki's room. While the four girls scurried to see their new sibling, Shinobu stopped in his tracks and took a deep breath, anticipating another daughter. Kenji laid a hand on his sensei's shoulder, as a means of showing emotional support. Shinobu gave a nod to his student, and the two approached the bedroom. Upon entering, the men could see Mizuki, hair let down, and covered in sweat from being in labor, with the source of the wailing in her arms, wrapped in a bed cover.

"Shinobu...Come see!" Mizuki said while softly smiling.

Shinobu approached his wife, heart pounding despite his anticipation. Somehow, meeting this child was...different. As Mizuki handed him the child, he discovered why. She had unwrapped the newborn so her husband could see what made the baby so different from his sisters. _His_ sisters. His? His! Shinobu nearly teared up as he realized he had finally been blessed with a son! Words couldn't describe his happiness as he held his son, who had stopped wailing and was now gradually opening his eyes.

"Hello, my son!" Shinobu greeted, his voice a little shaky from the overwhelming happiness. While he held the baby in his right arm, he ran his left hand through the baby's thin hair, which already bore two prominent spikes that wouldn't go flat, no matter how many times he flattened or ruffled at them. This boy, no doubt, was a Naruhodou.

"He's a beautiful child." said Nodoka.

"A handsome child, too!" added Akiko.

"I congratulate you, Naruhodou-sensei!" said Kenji.

"Thank you, all of you." Shinobu said to the three of them.

After a little more conversing, Kenji, Nodoka, and Akiko left to go home, leaving just the Naruhodou family.

"So, what do we want to name him?" Mizuki asked her daughters.

"How about 'Mako'?" Momoko suggested. "To match the rest of us!"

"Don't you think that will become confusing?" Tomiko asked.

"I guess it might." Momoko sighed.

"There was that dragon earlier..." Hiroko muttered loud enough for the others to hear.

"What was that, Hiroko?" Mizuki questioned her second eldest child.

"On the way here, Junko-oneechan and I saw what might have- no -what _was_ a dragon flying to our home!" Hiroko explained.

"It's as if our new brother was heralding the dragon!" Junko remarked as she looked into the bundle of joy, who was now sucking on his fingers and thumbs.

"A dragon herald, hm?" Shinobu pondered aloud, as one name came to mind. "Family! I have the perfect name." he announced as he handed the newborn back to Mizuki so she could nurse him.

"You do?" All four girls asked.

"Let us hear it." Mizuki insisted as she got the baby to latch onto her.

And that was when Shinobu gave his son his name:

"From this day forth, this boy...My son, will be known as: Ryuunosuke Naruhodou!"

* * *

And that's Chapter 1! :D I hope you guys like the story so far! So, I had to do a TON of research on the Meiji Period, and found this was about the time women started working in factories (which is why Mizuki has a job). Everything about the factories mentioned is pretty much true. Kendo was also a new sport emerging around this time, its predecessor kenjutsu (explains Shinobu's job). If there is anything I missed, or need to add, let me know. I will make sure to reference it in the next chapter.

Honest reviews, please! c:


	2. First Tongue Twister

So here is the new chapter, finally! I haven't been gone, writer's block just kidnapped my creativity for awhile. Before I start, I'd like to say this chapter _was_ ready to go, but was somehow deleted before I could upload it. I apologize if this chapter is not as good as you were hoping.

Also, Virus chapter seven will be uploaded soon. With that out of the way, enjoy! c:

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-Chapter Two: First Tongue Twister-

It had been a little over two years since that April night. Little Ryuunosuke was now a full-fledged toddler. In the first two years of his life, his thin hair had grown thicker, and now bore a third prominent spike atop the back of his head alongside the two on either side of his head. Now most young boys of the era wore their hair in an undercut, however Shinobu wasn't just about to let that happen; all of the Naruhodou men took pride in their spiky hair, and Shinobu was no exception, thus he felt his son shouldn't be an exception either, and so the topic of hair cutting was quickly out of the question.

Ryuunosuke had also become more verbal, fluctuating between babbling in baby speak and enunciating small words while attempting to form them into short sentences. He now also had some small teeth, and could eat solid foods just like his sisters could, and also didn't need to be nursed more than twice a day. He had also become mobile, starting with crawling, then walking with the occasional stumble and fall; he didn't cry when he did fall down, as he usually landed backwards where his nappy would cushion the impact, and he would get right back up on his feet.

Even though he was fully mobile, Ryuunosuke was still cooperative when it came to sitting in the baby carrier his mother toted him in while she worked. For twelve to fourteen hours a day he would sleep, play with his toes, suck his thumb or fingers, or babble on and on, only leaving his comfy (yet gradually more snug) sling once for a nappy change, which was both his and Mizuki's least favorite part of the day. For one, she had to take him to a separate designated room, which made sense, even if the temperature in there was freezing compared to the boiling hot factory itself. Then she had to lay him on the table in there, which was even more unforgiving to the baby boy, who would fuss through the entire process. It was always during this point in the day Mizuki wished her son would show just a _little more_ interest in potty training, especially when she was only allowed to take care of the problem once during her shift.

 _"You know, Mizuki-san. Ryuu-chan isn't going to stay little forever." said Nodoka. "It may be time to hire some help."_

 _"I know, I know." Mizuki sighed. It wasn't easy for her to think about since she never did have to worry about it before. Back when it was just her at home with the girls, life as a housewife was quite easy; but even then, she wasn't just about to give up her job. "I just haven't thought about it. I haven't always been a working mother, you know."_

 _"Why don't you talk it out with your husband?" Akiko suggested. "After all, Ryu-chan is his son, too!"_

* * *

Mizuki sat down with her husband one evening, the conversation with her friends still fresh in her mind. The children were all in bed, so they were unlikely to get interrupted. They each had a cup of tea while they spoke.

"Shinobu, I think it's time we look into hiring some help." Mizuki stated with her utmost confidence. "I don't know how much longer I will be able to take Ryuunosuke along. And the last thing I want is to force the girls to stay home!"

Shinobu pondered his wife's statements as he sipped his tea, then spoke. "I have to agree with you. I also do not wish for our daughters to miss out on the opportunity of a proper education, just to stay home to watch their little brother. Besides that, Kenji-kun had spoken with me in between sessions today. Apparently his sister is currently looking for employment as a mother's helper of sorts. I told him I would consult you first."

"Well..." Mizuki paused as she wondered about her criteria. "As long as she is good with children, and can maintain a clean house, I say we give her a chance."

"I was hopeful you would say that!" said Shinobu. "I will inform him the next time I see him."

Two days later, the children were introduced to Kenji's sister. Mizuki anxiously watched, hoping her son would approve of the new help. She had already met the young woman, herself, and felt she had made the right decision. Now to see if her intution was on point.

"Children, this is Hotaru Satomori." Shinobu introduced the twenty-year-old woman beside him. Hotaru bowed to the young family before Shinobu spoke again. "Hotaru-san, these are my daughters, Junko age 14, Hiroko age 12, Tomiko age 8, and Momoko age 6." He then picked up and held his son. "And this my youngest child, and only boy, Ryuunosuke age 2."

Much to Mizukki's relief, Ryuunosuke smiled at Hotaru in approval, and even tried to reach out to her as if wanting to be held by her.

"Such a sweet boy!" said Hotaru as she softly smiled. "It will be an honor to work with such a fine family!"

* * *

About a month later, on one summer day, while Ryuunosuke was playing in the front garden with his sisters, Hotaru was helping prepare for an upcoming _matsuri_ the Naruhodous were contributing to. Naturally, the commotion and sudden abundance of items caught the young boy's attention, and he decided to investigate. Upon toddling over to a crate, Ryuunosuke discovered three rolls of streamers in primary colors. Of course, he had a simpler name for them.

"Paper rolls!" He said, almost clearly.

"Paper rolls!" Tomiko repeated as she caught up to him. "How many paper rolls?"

Ryuunosuke knew that meant he had to count them, so he took the rolls one at a time, and stacked them as if they were blocks. "One...Two...Thwee!"

"Three paper rolls!" Tomiko confirmed.

"Now what _colors_ are the paper rolls?" Momoko asked as she strolled up to them, ready to tease.

"Momoko..." Tomiko growled. "You can't say that tongue twister, and neither can-"

"Red paper roll, blue paper roll, yellow paper roll!" Ryunosuke spoke clearly and concisely as he stacked them in reverse order.

"-he..."

"...That had to be a fluke!" Momoko exclaimed as she and Tomiko stared at each other in disbelief. They had both been verbal longer than he had, yet neither were good at tongue twisters, like the one he just uttered.

"Agreed!" Tomiko answered, before they heard Ryuunosuke repeat himself just as clearly as the first time. Little did they realize at the time, that they planted the seeds to what would become Ryuunosuke's unique lifelong interest in tongue twisters.

* * *

And that's chapter 2! Again, I'm sorry if this turned out terrible. But the computer decided to be a jack*ss and erase the first version I had. Hopefully, that won't happen again.

The tongue twister is Japaense is _aka maki gami, ao maki gami, ki maki gami_ by the way!

Honest reviews, please! c:


	3. You Said It Wouldn't Hurt!

**I rise**! I finally got a new chapter done. (Chapter 7 of Virus will done next, hopefully in the next few weeks.) I don't have much else to say until the end of this chapter, so until then, enjoy! c:

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-Chapter Three: You Said It Wouldn't Hurt!-

"Raw wheat, raw rice, raw eggs!" Five year old Ryuunosuke repeated for the third time in a row, as he and Hotaru made their way to take care of some errands. It was a cool, crisp autumn day in Tokyo, leaves of different shades of red, orange, and yellow lined the streets and walkways, as they fluttered down from the trees they once clung to so tightly. Some leaves crunched under the feet of the bustling crowds, while others not so much.

Normally, little Ryuunosuke would stomp on as many leaves as he could, just to hear them crunch under his little feet, though Hotaru would make him hurry along, as she didn't want to lose him in the crowded streets of the city. Today, however, was a little different. He didn't understand why, but Ryuunosuke felt tired, and his head hurt a little. Not enough to warrant complaints, but he still acknowledged it, as it made him feel like skipping his usual leaf stomping.

"Ryuunosuke-sama? Are you feeling alright?" Hotaru asked, upon noticing the boy's sluggish demeanor.

"Huh? Oh, I'm fine!" Ryuunosuke smiled, despite his lousy feeling inside. Hotaru simply nodded in response, not entirely convinced by his answer.

* * *

The pair made their way home, bags of groceries for dinner in hand, while Ryuunosuke hardly felt better at all. In fact now, he found himself wiping his runny nose on his sleeve every so often, and stifling oncoming coughs as to keep Hotaru from worrying. Though he didn't even know about the slight flush in his face, though Hotaru did, which prompted her to ask again if he was feeling alright.

"I'm fine, really." Ryuunosuke answered, somehow oblivious to the slight hoarseness in his voice.

"If you say so..." Hotaru said, once again far from convinced by his answer. She wouldn't fault him if he decided to take a nap before dinner, which he most likely would.

"Ryuu-chan!" Tomiko called out, as the four sisters had already returned home from school for the day, evidenced by the uniforms they still had on. Ryuunosuke temporarily gained a second wind as he darted through the _genken_ , and into the house where he greeted his big sisters. That second wind quickly passed as soon as he was picked up and held by Tomiko, to which he rested his aching, tired head on her shoulder, and closed his eyes.

"Are you tired, Ryuu-chan?" asked Hiroko, upon noticing her little brother's demeanor. Ryuunosuke slowly nodded in response.

"He's faking it." Momoko accused, to which the others simply glared at her in response, before diverting their attention back to little Ryuunosuke.

Junko laid her hand on Ryuunosuke's forehead after attempting to comb his bangs, even though they returned to their default position in the end. "Aw, Ryuu-chan does feel a little warm!" she said sympatetically, before drawing her hand back.

"He's _faking_ it!" Momoko reinstated, only to receive the same reaction as before. Ryuunosuke sniffled to fight back his runny nose, and let out the coughs he had stifled earlier, to which the girls, sans Momoko, couldn't help but pity the little boy.

"Maybe Ryuu-chan will feel better after a nap and some dinner." Tomiko remarked.

"I'm not really hungry..." Ryuunosuke mumbled, to which all five girls stood stunned. Normally, he could hardly wait for mealtimes, so for him to have lost his appetite meant something serious.

"He's not hungry?" Hiroko asked.

"Ryuu-chan isn't hungry!" Junko exclaimed.

"...Maybe he's _not_ faking it." Momoko added, now sympathetic as well.

"What should we do? Should we take him to a doctor?" Tomiko questioned. "Call a doctor? Wait for mother and father?"

For a few minutes, everyone was perplexed as to what to do. It wasn't often anyone in the Naruhodou family got sick; even during epidemics, they proved unusually healthy. After setting the bags aside, Hotaru came up with a plan.

"Alright, here is what we'll do: Junko-sama, you and I will take Ryuunosuke-sama to the nearby clinic." Hotaru explained. "The rest of you will stay here, and wait for your parents."

"Understood." Junko said. She tried to take her little brother into her arms, to which he clung to Tomiko, and slowly shook his head.

"I think he wants me to keep holding him." Tomiko remarked. "I'll come along, too, if it's necessary."

"Very well." Hotaru nodded.

"Momoko and I will stay here, then." Hiroko stated.

* * *

Ryuunosuke wasn't sure what to make of the doctor's office. As he sat on Tomiko's lap, his unblinking eyes shifted in every direction. In the room he, Tomiko, Junko, and Hotaru were escorted to, shelving took up two of the four walls, fully stocked with all sorts of bottles in all shapes, colors, and sizes. Against the wall opposite of them, there were contraptions each with its own purpose of some sort. He was a little afraid to ask what each one was for, exactly. And the table he and Tomiko, more so the latter, were sitting on seemed...uncomfortable. After what felt like forever, the door finally opened, revealing a man in a white coat worn over a casual suit. He came off as intimidating to little Ryuunosuke.

"Hello, ladies." The man greeted. "I am Dr. Cole. Now then, which of you is the patient?"

"My little brother, here." Tomiko answered.

"Ah, yes! You must be Ryuunosuke." Dr. Cole remarked, as he reached to shake the boy's hand, only for Ryuunosuke to sneeze on the doctor's hand unintentionally. Hotaru made to apologize on the boy's behalf, only for the doctor to brush it off. "Oh, no worries. If something so simple bothered me, I would have chosen a different profession. Now then, let's see what's ailing the little man, hm?"

Upon which, Ryuunosuke had all sorts of things done to him, first having a glass tube rest under his tongue, which read 38.3 degrees, according to the doctor. He didn't know what that meant, really. Next, he was taken off of his sister's lap, and taken to two of the contraptions he stared at earlier; for the first one, Dr. Cole pulled down a lever until it reached the top of Ryuunosuke's head, where upon the contraption read 100 centimeters, apparently. The next contraption's pad sank a little as Ryuunosuke stood atop of it. Its gauge read 17 kilograms, to which Hotaru openly wondered how the boy could weigh so little even though he ate so much? Afterwards, a few more things were done back at the exam table, including checking Ryuunosuke's eyes, ears, throat, and heartbeat, or so the doctor was claiming.

"Well...He may just have a cold." Dr. Cole stated, before setting his attention to Junko and Hotaru. "Has he shown any signs of nausea?"

"He claimed to not be hungry earlier." Junko explained.

"A loss of appetite at the very least then." the doctor nodded, then explained. "I ask, as I have had a few patients coming in with smallpox the past week."

Hotaru gasped. "Y-you don't think Ryuunosuke-sama has-?!"

"I can't say for certain." Dr. Cole stated, as he conjured a small vile from one of the cabinets, along with a syringe. "However, it's best not to take chances. I only hope I have your consent."

Hotaru simply nodded. She had lost a few friends and relatives to smallpox in the past, thus never wishing to see another soul suffer to such a dreaded disease.

"Very well." said the doctor, as he added the needle to the syringe, and filled it with some of the liquid from the vial. He then approached Ryuunosuke, who tried to squirm out of Tomiko's arms and run as soon as he saw the needle. "Oh, don't worry now!" said Dr. Cole, as he witnessed the child's plight, and firmly gripped Ryuunosuke's little arm. "This won't hurt a bit!"

However, as soon as the needle was first injected into his arm, Ryuunosuke screamed from the sharp, unforgiving painful jab. That doctor lied to him! It hurt a lot! The five year old was left in tears, as the needle was taken out, and replaced with a bandage.

"It looks like it hurt a lot..." Junko sympathectically remarked.

"Oh, he exaggerates." Dr. Cole calmly said, brushing it off like no big deal. "The bill will be sent to your residence in the next few days. Also, make sure he stays hydrated, and give him the necessary medicine as the labels direct until his fever subsides." After receiving some cold medicine for Ryuunosuke to take later, the group headed home, with Tomiko still carrying her still wailing brother, who was now ranting about his newly-found hatred for doctors, how they were so mean to jab somebody who already so weak and sick, and how he'll never go to another clinic "forever and ever".

"Your going to make yourself even more sick, Ryuu-chan..." Junko whispered to Ryuunosuke, who immediately stopped crying. Instead, he sulked the rest of the way home, watching leaves flutter to the ground from the trees above. All the while, continuing his rant in mumbles and mutters.

* * *

And there's Chapter 3! Wow, I didn't think I'd get this done. c: But I did!

Some quick facts:

*Smallpox vaccine first became mandatory in Japan during the Meiji period. Around 1876, actually.

*Initial symptoms looked similar to a cold or the flu (fever, headache, muscle pain, etc.)

*It was a _very lethal_ illness. So don't bash Hotaru just because she unintentionally scarred Ryuu for life!

^Health lesson for the day! XD Also:

Tongue twister at the start of the chapter in Japanese is "Nama mugi, nama gome, nama tomago".

With that all out of the way, honest reviews, please! c:


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